NEW MODELS: AUDI.

Dynamically, the A7 is a delight. Yes, it is a large car, stretching almost
five metres nose to tail, but one would never know that from behind the wheel.
First, the sport suspension (part of the S Line package) strikes a near ideal
balance between ride comfort and the ability to limit body roll.

Throw in the effects of the quattro all-wheel-drive system and optional P265/
35R20 tires and understeer is all but non-existent.

The only engine available is Audi’s 3.0-litre TFSI V6, which delivers 300
horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque at just 2,900 r.p.m. The use of direct
injection and a supercharger spreads out the power over a broad range. It is
enough to hustle the A7 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.

A big part of the reason for the A7’s willing work ethic and efficiency is
down to the seven-speed S tronic (twin-clutch) transmission. Having seven
speeds to work with brings plenty of snap off the line and on through the mid-
range, as well as a leggy top gear that promotes effortless highway cruising
and better economy. The shifts are also fast and impeccably smooth regardless
of throttle position.

Inside, the A7 is lavish – top-class materials, goodies galore and some
handy features. The de rigueur Multi-Media Interface is in place, but, again,
with a twist. Audi’s MMI was one of the more intuitive systems available and
it’s made all the easier to use thanks to a handy touchpad.

This allows the driver or passenger to scribe letters and numbers when
entering an address or dialing a number rather than having to tediously spin a
knob.

Pricing has not been announced, but expect the A7 to begin in the mid-to
high-$60,000 range and move up from there.

Graeme Fletcher

2011 Audi RS5

The new RS5 sports coupe looks like an A5 or S5 that’s gone to the gym, with
flared fenders squared off at the top, standard 19-inch alloys with Pirelli
performance tires (20-inch alloys will be optional), a body that’s been lowered
by 20 mm and an integrated rear spoiler that deploys at 120 km/h.

Under the RS5’s hood sits an upgraded version of the 4.2-litre V8 powerplant
found in the R8 4.2 supercar. The engineers of the Quattro GmbH division have
managed to squeeze out an extra 30 h.p., for a total of 450, from the high-rev
concept V8, which is redlined at 8,250 r.p.m. and is mated to the seven-speed
dual-clutch S Tronic gearbox and Audi’s signature quattro all-wheel drive.

I was impressed by the V8’s throaty growl. The power delivery is very linear,
peak torque is found between 4,000 and 6,000 r.p.m. and cycling through the
gears by way of the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters is lightning fast.

Initial turn-in is crisp, thanks in part to the wide tires but also to the
dynamic steering system fitted to the RS5, which adjusts the steering ratio in
relation to the car’s road speed and can even slightly countersteer
automatically if you get into the corner with a bit too much speed. The end
result is a very exhilarating driving machine, which proved to be very much at
ease on the race track, especially when the pavement was still damp and
slippery.

Equipped with the optional sport seats, the RS5’s cabin definitely qualifies
as a cockpit with its carbon fibre inlays and aluminum-look shift paddles and
pedals. Quality materials abound and the fit and finish is first-rate.

While no pricing information has been provided by Audi Canada, we can assume
it will be in the $90,000 range since the car’s performance is significantly
higher than the already available S5 coupe, which is priced at $72,500.

Gabriel Gelinas

2011 Audi A8

The new A8 definitely has a sportier, streamlined appeal. Along with Audi’s
now trademark deep grille, there’s a slightly aggressive stance to this A8 that
contrasts with the previous generations’ more passive styling. Where the
previous version’s design said, “I’ll get you where you want to go,” the new
version entices you to “drive me hard.”

And, for the most part, the new A8 delivers. The only engine offered in
Canada is Audi’s ubiquitous 4.2-litre V8, now direct injected. In this guise,
its good for 372 horsepower, and mated to the new eight-speed automatic gearbox,
that’s good enough to launch the big A8 (1,910 kg) to 100 km/h in just 5.8
seconds.

And it’s sophisticated as well. Singing along at high revs, the 4.2 FSI
engine is all Beach Boys harmony. It’s a good thing, too, since the motor’s one
weakness is that its relatively small displacement results in a similarly
relative paucity of torque, 328 pound-feet. It means the engine always has to
be in the right gear – hence the eight speeds on the tranny – and is happier
spinning rather than wafting.

The smaller displacement does allow the A8 to boast Transport Canada fuel
economy figures of 12.9 and 8.1 litres per 100 km, superior to most of the uber
sedans in this segment.

The chassis’ comportment is also much improved. Unlike the past A8
suspension system, the dampers on the 2011 are not as limp as overcooked
linguine. And, thanks to the modern miracle of electronically adjustable
suspension, comfort is not compromised for the added road holding.

As well, the adjustable suspension is all part of the A8’s Drive Select
package that allows drivers to pre-select either Comfort or Dynamic modes or
else customize features such as the throttle response, transmission shift
points, power steering boost and, of course, the suspension damping to their
taste.

The cabin is also larger. Audi stretched the wheelbase almost 50 mm, while
the overall length has grown 75 mm and the width a little more than 50 mm. Most
of that extra space is in the rear seat, where there’s ample legroom even
without opting for the 130-mm-longer L version.

Everyone loves it and, by extension, you. It is to be a celebrity for a day
without having your dirty laundry aired in on magazine covers at grocery store
checkout lines.

This complete adoration is not just because Audi is an exotic-looking sports
car. It’s R8-specific. None of the Ferraris, Porsches or Aston Martins I’ve
chauffeured have come even close to the virtually universal adoration that is
the new R8 Spyder.

And as shallow as revelling in all this undeserved adulation is, never
forget that the jealousy of complete strangers is one of the prime motivators
in an exotic car purchase. Spending $200,000-plus on a swoopy red convertible
and then not getting noticed does not make the independently foolish happy.

But the R8 Spyder has a whole lot going for it other than mere worship by
the unworthy. There are 5.2 litres of power-packed V10 (a less expensive, 4.2L
V8 version will appear later this year) singing sweetly not two feet behind
your ears. One hundred kilometres an hour arrives in barely four seconds and,
should you own a private road with a particularly long straight, you could see
the speedometer hit almost 320 km/h.

The six-speed manual is also a delight. With a beautifully sculpted shifting
gate, changing gears is always precise and accompanied by a very reassuring
snick-snick as the steel of the shifter makes contact with the aluminum of the
extended H-pattern.

Inside the cabin, there’s Audi’s now traditional unmatched quality. The
leather, the metal and the few bits of plastic are all the best in the biz.

One of the neatest features is the three microphones mounted into the R8’s
seat belts that make hands-free cellphoning clearer.

The R8 is not without fault, however. The Spyder’s interior feels a tad
tighter than the R8 Coupe’s. And with the roof down, there was far more
buffeting and noise than a comparable Mercedes convertible. But with the roof
up, the Spyder is very quiet at speed. And it’s one of the few cars that is
equally attractive with or without its roof in place.

In the end, it is an amazingly competent convertible.

David Booth

2011 Audi TT RS

From a technological point of view, the TT RS certainly has the bona fides.

Audi’s resurrected trademark five-cylinder pumps out an incredible 340
horsepower from just 2.5 litres. On a power-per-litre rating, this is in the
same league as Porsche’s 911 Turbo (500 h.p. from 3.6 litres). It’s the result
of Audi turbocharging the little five-banger with an incredible amount of boost.

Not so very long ago, 18 psi of turbocharged force feeding would have been
the sole purview of a hand-built race car and more than enough to frag any
typical production automobile’s motor. Now, Audi manages the feat in a car that
starts and drives as sweetly (save for a slight propensity to stall because off-
idle torque is a little wanting) as its lesser brethren.

Nonetheless, the RS does suffer some turbo lag – that softness of throttle
response at lower r.p.m. when the combination of both a large turbocharger and
small engine can’t quite instil the low-speed pulling power of a larger,
throatier motor. So, despite a spec sheet that says its maximum torque of 332
pound-feet is available as low as 1,600 r.p.m., below 2,500, the RS can be
lethargic on full throttle.

On the gas, the TT RS rushes through the first four gears quickly. Zero to
100 km/h shows up in a mere 4.6 seconds, all of them frenetic.

The RS also gets Audi’s maximum technology in the chassis department, its
ubiquitous quattro all-wheel-drive system backed up by a high-tech magnetic
ride suspension similar to that controlling the R8’s wheels.

The rest of the RS is pretty much standard TT fare. The seats feature more
bolstering than standard and there’s the tiniest of turbo gauges built into the
dash cluster. The MMI onboard computer is standard TT fare as is the centre
dashboard display. There’s a ginormous wing on the trunk lid and the wheels can
be as large as 20 inches, the same as big-daddy sports cars such as the R8.

I see the RS generating more sporting credibility so that all TTs get a mild
boost in their testosterone levels. Such is the role of a halo vehicle.